Merkel and Hollande blame Assad for the US strikes on Syria; French candidates weigh in

The American "response" must be pursued at the international level." Francois Hollande made a brief speech Friday to react to the American strikes that destroyed an air base of the Bashar al-Assad regime during the night. The head of state, who has called for action "within the framework of the United Nations, if possible," announced that the Defense Council would meet at 7 pm at the Elysée Palace.Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose regime is accused of being behind the gas attack on Tuesday in the north-west of the country, bears "full responsibility" for Washington's night strikes against an air base Syria, the head of state pronounced in a joint statement with Angela Merkel.The French head of state and the German Chancellor spoke on the telephone this Friday morning on the situation in Syria, and one can read in this joint text of the Elysée and the Chancellery: "Following the chemical massacre on April 4 in Khan Cheikhoune in northwestern Syria, a military installation of the Syrian regime used for chemical bombardment was destroyed last night by US strikes," The two leaders, having previously been informed, added "Assad bears full responsibility for this development."Source for the reactions of the French presidential candidates, which follow here below:Le PenMarine Le Pen said she was "surprised" by the reaction of Donald Trump, and distanced herself from the American President. "I'm a little surprised, because Trump had repeatedly said that he did not intend to make the United States the world policeman, and that's exactly what he did yesterday, she explained on France 2. "Is it too much to ask to wait for the results of an independent international investigation before making a strike like this?" "What I would like is that we do not find the same scenario that we saw in Iraq, in Libya, which in reality are processes leading to chaos, and that ended up nurturing islamic fundamentalism. "The president of the Front National let it be understood that we have to keep talking with Syrian President Bashar A-Assad "as there is no one else credible"Thursday she judged that Donald Trump was wrong to envisage strikes in Syria. "If the responsibility must be the ensemble of the nations, then it comes to the organization of elections under the correct democratic conditions," she said.MacronIn "The Political Broadcast" Thursday night on France 2, Emmanuel Macron favored military intervention in Syria. "If it was confirmed, it is very serious, so yes, there has to be an intervention," "a military intervention" to "sanction what has been done," he replied while being questioned about the attack Tuesday. At the same time, he explained that we must talk with Bashar al-Assad about his departure.This Friday morning, he said he was "taking note of the American intervention." "My wish is that there will truly be internationally coordinated action in retaliation for the Bashar al-Assad regime and the crimes that have been committed," En Marche's candidate added.FillonFrançois Fillon said in a statement that one could understand the "American response" to the suspected chemical attack in Syria, while demanding that it not lead to "a confrontation" between the West on the one hand, Russia and Iran on the other. Previously, his spokesman Vincent Chriqui reacted on LCI: "I think it is absolutely necessary that France is again at the table of discussions, that there is a real exchange that must be demanding, that must be muscular, with all the countries active in the region, including Russia, to find a way out of the crisis, and I hope that this solution will include the departure of President Bashar al-Assad."HamonBenoît Hamon has said since Le Creusot, where he is on the move: "I have always refused to prioritize the horror between Bashar al-Assad and Daesh ... This is why I consider Bashar Al-Assad is directly responsible for the response decided by the United States.I am obviously in favor of finding a political solution in Syria as soon as possible. It is now time that the Russia of Mr. Putin who protects Bashar al -Assad understands that the poliical solution is an integral Syria, a Syria that finds the solution, but without Bashar al-Assad, and I recognize myself in the statement made by the President of the Republic and Angela Merkel. It is time that a political solution be found."-----------Translator note: I had to restrain myself from interjecting comments everywhere. Please, Fort Russ readers, do it for me in the comments section! Follow us on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter! Donate!